Neat to Know: May 21, 2026
Neat to Know is a roundup of City news, updates, and other important information. You can expect to see the week's most interesting content and even some that may have not been delivered through our regular channels.
Potential Urban Hens program
Public engagement is now underway as we explore the development of a two-year Urban Hens Pilot Program. No decision has been made on the future of the program.
An Urban Hens project page and public survey are live on Shape Your City. The survey will remain open until Friday, June 26, 2026.
Read our news release to learn more, view the project page, and to take the survey.
Arts and Culture Legacy Award: Nominations open!
The inaugural nomination period is now open for our newly-created Arts and Culture Legacy Award! Nominations will be accepted until July 15 annually.
The Arts and Culture Legacy Award was created this year to serve as a visual memory of arts and culture contributions and achievements, and to ensure the individuals behind them receive due recognition.
Read our news release to learn more about the award, nomination criteria, and to submit your nominations.
Large-scale emergency exercise
The City of Medicine Hat’s Emergency Management Team will coordinate a full-scale emergency exercise on Wednesday, May 27 to test the City’s ability to respond to potential flooding along the South Saskatchewan River.
The exercise will include:
- Deployment of the Emergency Social Services Plan, including setup of a mock reception centre at the Big Marble Go Centre and evacuation procedures in the River Flats neighbourhood.
- Installation of demountable barriers in Strathcona Island Park and construction of a muscle wall system along Factory Street by Property Protection crews.
- A swift water rescue training exercise by Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services.
- Infrastructure response drills, facility protection measures, and coordinated efforts to secure affected areas and maintain public safety.
- A rooftop rescue exercise by HALO at the Heritage Pavillion in Strathcona Island Park
The following service disruptions will occur due to the exercise:
- Strathcona Island Park: The park will be closed to vehicle traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. While trail access will remain open, the public is asked to keep a safe distance from training activities.
- Factory Street: Factory Street will be temporarily closed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Businesses in the area will remain accessible and will be notified directly.
This is standard annual procedural training and is not related to any perceived or impending threat.
Tax Notices on the way
Medicine Hat property tax notices were mailed today. If you’ve signed up for eBilling through eTax, check your account or email. Otherwise, watch your mailbox in the coming days.
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Medicine Hat property taxes are due Tuesday, June 30.
Water bottle fill stations appearing, but not yet flowing
The City has begun installing the seasonal public water bottle fill stations across the community but they’re not quite ready for use until we get a safe water quality report.
Staff have already sent preliminary water samples away to the Provincial Lab for analysis, so the equipment, which connects to existing fire hydrants to deliver clean drinking water in public spaces, will be bagged and unavailable for use until the results are delivered.
Did you know? The units are disinfected each week and are equipped with an automatic flushing system set to run four times throughout the day to help ensure the water remains fresh and ready to quench your thirst. The automatic flushing systems are set to run for several minutes around 5 a.m., 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. daily.
Learn more at medicinehat.ca/water.
Water Management and Adaptation Strategy
Water is essential to everyday life in Medicine Hat, from drinking water and sanitation to irrigation of parks, tree health and cover, industry and manufacturing, food production, and economic growth.
To ensure our water resources are managed, infrastructure is maintained and economic growth and industry are considered in addition to ensuring reliability and resilience in the years ahead, the City is developing a long-term Water Management and Adaptation Strategy. Your feedback will help us understand how you view water‑related challenges and priorities.
The City is inviting you to take a short online survey before June 19, 2026 and be entered to win a $75 prepaid credit card.
Read the announcement | Take the survey at medicinehat.ca/waterstrategy
May 19, 2026 City Council Meeting
The May 19 City Council meeting included receiving an update on the Community Wellbeing Plan, Momentum, a 10-year strategy developed with community partners. Council also approved a $21.55 million investment to replace aging substations, ensuring continued reliability of the city’s electric system. A rezoning application for 21 Ranchlands Boulevard NE was approved following a public hearing, and first reading was given to amendments to Tax Exemption bylaws. These bylaw changes, along with a proposed Development and Expansion Grant program, will return to Council for further consideration on June 1.
Public hearing process
Your City Council hosts public hearings as a formal means to hear resident feedback about a topic up for debate. Some are mandatory through the Municipal Government Act (those related to land use, for example), while some are non-statutory and may be organized through Council direction.
Members of the public may participate in writing by providing a written submission to the City Clerk’s office, in person during the public hearing, or online by utilizing the meeting link on the face of the agenda.
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How will I know when a public hearing is scheduled?
Find out about public hearings from the following sources:
- Council Agendas - agendas are published on the website (Council calendar)
- Subscribe to our Public Notices to receive emails when public hearings are upcoming.
Learn more at medicinehat.ca/publichearings.
Reminder: Riverside Corridor public engagement is open
The City invites residents of Riverside, and community members who travel through the neighbourhood, to participate in a second phase of design.
Before June 15, 2026: Review the revised design, attend one of four open houses to learn more and speak to the project team, and complete a survey to record your preferences for the project design.
Developing a road corridor including deep utility work is a generational project that comes around every 30-50 years. These major projects give us an opportunity to work together as a community to imagine what might be needed for future generations to use and enjoy their neighbourhood.
No decisions have been made. Your feedback will help to determine key aspects of the design moving forward.
Visit the Shape Your City project page to take the survey and learn more.
Land Use Bylaw Refresh: Shifting to certainty
The Land Use Bylaw Refresh completes a shift from rules that emphasize flexibility (and uncertainty) toward a land use bylaw focused on certainty and clarity. The updated bylaw includes more clearly defined land use districts and more precise definitions. These changes are intended to reduce reliance on vague rules and definitions that may be open to interpretation, and lower the likelihood of development appeals - benefiting residents, applicants, and decision‑makers alike.
Current Land Use Bylaw >>>
- 18 districts
- 211 definitions
- 5 use-specific rules
- 52 permit exemptions
>>> Land Use Bylaw Refresh
- 21 districts
- 309 definitions
- 19 use-specific rules
- 61 permit exemptions
You can learn more about the Land Use Bylaw Refresh by visiting our Shape Your City webpage.
What’s next?
Feedback gathered over several years will be considered by City Council at the June 1, 2026 public hearing. A time for the hearing will be available when the Council agenda is set on Friday, May 29.
Paddle Fun and Safety (Free event)
Sat., May 30 | 12 to 4 p.m. | Echo Dale Regional Park
Join us on Saturday, May 30 for a free afternoon on the water focused on safe boating, paddling basics, and hands-on fun with kayaks at the boat lake in beautiful Echo Dale Regional Park.
Whether you’re brand new to paddling or looking to brush up on your skills, this is a great chance to:
- Learn safe boating practices
- Try out kayaks on the lake
- Get help fitting a lifejacket properly
- Connect with local paddling experts
Before heading on the water, participants will need to sign a waiver and watch a short safety video. Lifejackets will be provided, but you’re encouraged to bring your own to check for proper fit and safe use.
A big thank you to the Medicine Hat Paddling Club and High-Level Canoes and Kayaks for sharing their expertise and equipment to help make this event possible.
Want to see more upcoming events, programming and activities? View all options at City of Medicine Hat facilities:
Brief road closure in Police Point Park
A section of Police Point Drive NE in Police Point Park will be closed on Monday, May 25.
The closure is to accommodate a pump replacement located in the attached graphic. Work is anticipated to be completed by end-of-day Monday.
During this work, please note the following:
- Access to the northeast parking lot will be maintained
- No access to the south parking lot or Nature Centre (closed Mondays)
- No trail access will be affected
Thank you for the patience and understanding while this necessary work is performed!
Engineers arrive in Medicine Hat for a fresh OpporTOURnity
Earlier this month, Medicine Hat Economic Development hosted a two-day event that brought engineers from across Canada to Medicine Hat in support of the city’s workforce attraction efforts. As a reimagining of its award-winning OpporTOURnity Medicine Hat initiative, the event gave candidates the opportunity to connect with leading local employers and experience life in Medicine Hat through tours and presentations.
Participating employers included CF Industries, QinetiQ, Landing Zones, UVAD, Methanex, and the City of Medicine Hat.
Export curious?
Are you looking to expand your business beyond Canada or explore new international markets but not sure where or how to start? Join Medicine Hat Economic Development on June 4, 2026, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. for our Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) information webinar. This session is designed for growth-stage companies looking to confidently pursue global expansion with the right tools and expert guidance.
We'll also be opening applications for the Medicine Hat Trade Accelerator Program September cohort, supporting export-ready businesses in our region looking to diversify markets and scale internationally.
Learn more about the program or sign up here: Register for Webinar
To view all our career opportunities at the City of Medicine Hat, visit our Careers webpage and sign up for job alerts.
Plumbing and Gas Safety Codes Officer
Permanent | Full-Time | On-site
We’re looking for a Plumbing and Gas Safety Codes Officer to ensure plumbing and gas installations comply with the Safety Codes Act and Regulations, and applicable Plumbing and Gas codes. The position is required to provide technical advice on applicable codes, conduct site inspections, evaluate plans, issue permits, variances and alternative solutions and to carry out enforcement of all types of systems associated with various occupancies.
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